Car-truck construction



April 16, 1929.

J. C. WHITRIDGE CAR TRUCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1929. J. c. WHlTRlDGE CAR TRUCK CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Deb. 5, 1927 Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED "STATES PATENT} OFFICE,

JOHN C. WHITBIDGE, OF COLUMBUS, OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUCKEYE STEEL GASTINGF: COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CAR-TRUCK CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed. December 3, 1927. Serial No. 237,458.

This invention relates to improvements in car truck constructions and more particularly to mountings of the springs and the utilization of certain of said mountings to carry brake hanger brackets,--one object of the invention being to provide a cast spring seat member which shall be adaptable for support upon a metal spring plank and which shall also provide partial seats for springs which. latter are also partially supported by shelves on the side frame, and which seat member shall have brake hanger brackets cast integral therewith.

With this and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section illustrating an embodiment of my invention Figure 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, and

Figure 3 is a view partly in transverse section and partly in elevation.

A portion of a truck side frame is shown in the drawing and comprises a top or compression member 1, a bottom or tension memer 2, and columns 3 connecting the top and bottom members and defining an opening 4 which receives a bolster 4;. In the lower portion of the opening 4:, shelves 5 to provide spring seats are formed on the lower member of the side frame. A spring plank 6 enters the lower portion of the opening 4 and rests upon the intermediate portion 7 of the lower member of the side frame, and between the shelves 5,-straight flanges 8 projecting upwardly from the side edges of said spring plank being disposed parallel with the inner walls of the shelves 5. In the present instance, the spring plank is preferably constructed of pressed sheet steel and it has detachable interlocking connection with the side frame which will be operable normally to prevent lateral displacement of the side frame but which will permit easy disconnection of the side frame from the spring plank when it is desired to remove said side frame. To effect detachableinterlockingconnectionbetweenthe spring plank and side frame, the intermediate portion 7 of the latter may be provided with studs 9 which rise from the bottoms of recesses 10 in the top of the portion 7 of the side frame and pass through suitable holes in the spring plank. The studs 9 project above the upper face of the spring plank and pass through suitable holes in a separate spring seat member 11 disposed upon the spring plank and prevent displacement of said spring seat members.

The separate seat member 11 (which rests between the side flanges of the spring plank) consists of a casting and has cast integral with the same at diametrically opposite positions upstanding flanges 12 and with the upper edges of said flanges integral horizontally disposed shelves 13 are located, the upper faces of said shelves being in the same horizontal plane as that of the upper faces of the shelves 5 on the side frame and said shelves 13 terminate at their inner edges in proximity to the straight flanges 8 of the spring plank. Bracing webs 141 may be located in the recesses formed by the flanges 12 and shelves 13 011 the casting 11.

Springs 15 are disposed under the bolster and are seated at their lower ends upon the separate spring seat member 11 on the spring plank 6. Outer springs 16 of the cluster of springs employed, are seated partially upon the shelves 5 in the side frame and partially on the elevated shelves 13 at the sides of the separate seat member 11 on the spring plank, the upper ends of these springs engaging under the bolster. If desired,shims 17 may be disposed under the springs 16 and made to overlie the shelves 5 and 13.

It will be observed that a portion of the load on the outer springs 16 will be transmit ted to the shelves 5 on the side frame and a portion of such load will be borne by the shelves 13 on the separate seat member 11 and as the latter is mounted upon the spring plank, such portion of the load on the springs 1(1) vyill be borne indirectly by the spring p an I.

The casting 11 not only afi'ords spring seats having elevated shelves forming seats on which outer spring of the cluster of springs are partially seated, but it also affords a support for brake hanger brackets 18 cast in tegral therewith.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a side frame, of a metal spring plank, a casting mounted upon said spring plank and constituting a spring seat member andcast with elevated shelves constituting partial supports for springs.

' 2. The combination with a side frame, of a metal spring lank, a casting mounted upon said spring p ank and constituting a spring seat member and cast with elevated shelves constituting partial supports for springs, and brake hanger supporting means cast integral with said casting.

3. The combination of a side frame having shelves, a metal spring plank mounted in said slide framebetween said shelves, a casting disposed upon the spring plank and having cast therewith, elevated shelves having their upper faces in the same horizontal plane as that of the shelves in the side frame, brake hanger brackets integral with said casting, sprin s seated artially on the shelves in the side rame and partially on the shelves on saidcasting, and other s rings seated on said casting intermediate of t e shelves thereon.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JOHN C. WHITRIDGE. 

